Mark kicked at the gravel beneath his feel as he stormed in no particular direction. He didn't often feel this angry, especially with the people he loved, but if he hadn't left the house when he had - a wall or two would have had to cop it.

His fists ached after being clenched for so long, and his toes were numb from the cold and kicking the ground despite wearing thick socks and good sneakers. He decided to finally stop and take a few deep breaths. He looked up from the ground and realised where he stood. A bridge, the bridge, that meant the world to him.

"And to end your holiday to the land of leprechauns, the view from here is amazing at night. I know it's not much but-"

"No, SeanI love it." Mark interrupted.

Mark had come to Ireland for a two week holiday to see Sean and unwind, tomorrow he was to head back to LA and wanted one last look around Jack's hometown before he left. They were walking over a bridge that lead to an old castle that Mark couldn't remember the name of, and as Sean had promised, the view of the sky - bright and as orange as fire - reflecting off the smooth surface of the water was amazing.

"I'm glad...because there was something I needed to tell you. Before you go." Sean said, taking grip of Mark's coat sleeve to stop him in his tracks. Sean leaned on the railing of the old stone bridge, and Mark looked back out at the slow sunset.

"What's on your mind Sean?"

"W-well...there's been something I've been meaning to tell you for such a long time. I can barely keep the words inside me anymore."

"Go on…"

...

Mark made his way off the bridge, deciding it was about time that he started making his way home.

Mark snapped out of his daze when he realised what he had thought.

"Home, I've never called this place home before…" Mark mumbled aloud

Mark's knee bounced as he waited, the minutes felt more like hours.

"He should be here. Why isn't he here? Did the plane crash? Is he in the wrong taxi? Where is he?" Mark's mind was racing as he watched the hands on the wall clock tick by slowly.

His heart was in his throat, he felt like his body couldn't settle without Sean beside him. He heard the sound of a car outside, and he quickly leapt from where he sat to swing the door open. The taxi had just sped away and the Irishman was attempting to pick up all his suitcases when Mark ran from the door and pulled Sean close to him. In surprise the younger dropped all his bags, but quickly forgot about them as he wrapped his own arms around Mark.

"I missed you so much baby, so much." Mark murmured into Sean's neck.

"I missed you too love." Sean pressed soft kisses to Mark's hair. "Come on, let's do this inside."

After helping the younger bring all his bags inside, the door was closed and Mark once again brought Sean into a firm hug.

"I can't stand you being so far away from me Sean. I feel like I'm missing so much of myself when you're not here with me." Mark could feel tears begin to form behind his eyes.

Sean took Mark's face in his hands and held him so they could make eye contact with him. "Live with me Mark. Here or Ireland, I don't give a shit where we are, but I need you to be with me."

Mark could feel the tears slip from his eyes, but he didn't do a thing to remove them from his face.

"Is that a yes?" Sean asked cautiously, running his thumb over Mark's cheekbone.

Mark nodded weakly. "Yes, yes I wanna live with you."

Sean let one hand leave Mark's face to hold the other's hand, while the remaining hand dried his tears. "Come with me to Ireland. Just you and me, forever."

Mark let his tears flow.

...

"How fucking dare you. How could you Mark?!" Sean yelled, his fingers knotted in his hair. He was pacing around the living room, trying to stop himself from releasing his rage on anything he could reach.

"I-I.." Mark stuttered.

"Five years! Five fucking years Mark! Five years as friends and five more as lovers, doesn't that mean anything to you?!" Sean screamed.

"I-it means everything to-"

"Apparently it doesn't! Or else you wouldn't have gone to third base with that fucking whore!"

"Sean-"

"Don't you dare say that! Don't you dare say my name!"

"Baby please-"

"Stop Mark!" Sean could barely stop the tears from falling as he screamed. "Stop, stop, stop!"

"What do you want me to do to fix this?" Mark asked weakly.

"Get the fuck out of my house!"

"Where am I supposed to go? I have no one here."

"Go back to that whore! Go back to America for all I care! Just fuck off!"

"You don't mean-"

"I didn't end this Mark, you did! Now get the fuck out of my house!" Sean picked up Mark's phone and wallet at threw them at the older man. The phone missed him and hit the carpet, but his wallet hit him in the lip. Mark didn't dare move, anything Sean did to him right now he knew he deserved it.

Sean dropped to his knees. "I don't want you here...I don't want you...I don't love you…"

...

Mark knocked on the door weakly. He had to wait a while before the door slowly opened. Sean wouldn't look at him, eyes planted firmly on the wall with his arms crossed.

"I'm just coming to get my things, then I'm going back to America." Mark said.

"You've got half an hour to get everything. If anything is left behind I'm throwing it out." Sean said, his voice full of resentment.

Mark didn't want to upset Sean anymore, so he said nothing as he made his way through the house, packing all his belongings away. Sean remained by the door, his eyes anywhere but on Mark.

Mark had all his things collected and outside within 20 minutes, he stood in the doorway as he removed his house key and handed it to Sean.

"You can call a taxi, but you're waiting outside in the cold." Sean said.

"I deserve as much." Mark said, his eyes glued to Sean's shoes.

"I did this to yourself.'

Mark's heart felt like it was breaking for the hundredth time.

"Anything you want to say?" Sean asked. "I'll let you have some last words."

Mark chewed on his bottom lip. "I know that I've hurt you, and I know that what I've done is unforgivable. I felt like this would never end, that nothing could stop us - like how you think your parents are always gonna be there. But neither of those things are true. I became comfortable and pathetic. I shouldn't have done that. I didn't deserve you."

"Is that all?" Sean asked, his voice breaking.

"That's all."

Mark finally looked up at Sean, and was met with heavy tears streaming down Sean's pale face.

"Baby.." Mark reached up and wiped Sean's tears without thinking about his actions. Sean leaned his face into Mark's hand.

"Every fibre in my body is telling me to never forgive you, to never give you a second chance. But my heart is breaking thinking about you leaving. I should hate you right now, but all I want is to hold you and never let you go. Mark..help me…"

Sean begins to sob uncontrollably. Mark pulled Sean close, one arm wrapped around the younger man's waist and the other hand running through his hair softly. Mark tried consoling the Irishman with soft words and encouragements, but his tears refused to stop flowing. Mark wanted to cry too, but couldn't let himself. This was Sean's turn to cry.

...

Sean had cried so much that he fell asleep leaning into Mark's arms. Mark moved Sean to their bed, and moved all his things back inside so the rain couldn't get to them, then joined Sean in their room. After laying with him for a few hours, Sean slowly awoke. He was laying on Mark's chest, his strong arms around him tightly. He didn't want to look up at Mark, in case it made him cry again.

"I shouldn't take you back." Sean murmured quietly.

"I know. I shouldn't have come back. I should have just put you to bed and left, but I couldn't leave you alone again." Mark said into Sean's hair.

"I don't want to be left alone ever again."

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Mark spoke again.

"Marry me."

"You chose the wrong time to propose Markimoo." Sean said half-heartedly.

"I'm serious Sean. Marry me. Never be alone again. Take me back in your own time, but when you're ready I want you to marry me and be my husband."

"Mark-"

"I promise, until the day that I die, I will never let anything hurt you every again. Especially if that thing is me. Nothing is going to hurt you-"

"Mark!"

Mark looked down at Sean, who was pouting at him.

"Don't interrupt me. I was going to say...yes…"

Mark could feel the tears forming again, and before he could let them fall he pressed his lips against Sean's.

"I love you Sean."